Homeowners in the area were scrambling to save their basements following a storm that dumped roughly five centimetres of rain within about 45 minutes.

“It was unusual. We did have an influx of rain,” said Donna Desmarais, a retiree who has lived with her husband Jack in the 1800 block of Heatherstone Way for the past 25 years. “The storm sewers became full, so where did the water go? Into our basements.”

It was second time in nine months a storm has caused flooding woes in the neighbourhood, she said.

“We’ve been here 25 years and never had a problem with flooding … We just want some answers,” Desmarais said.

“We are worried for the next time. We don’t want to live like this.”

Tania Lepera, who has also lived in the 1800 block of Heatherstone for 25 years, had about four or five inches of water in her basement.

“Obviously, we are devastated to be hit two times in one year,” she said. “We have been told insurance might be a problem for us.

“The town says they are going to look into this, but it’s a little bit too late. They should have looked after this when it happened the first time.”

One potential factor being investigated is whether recent construction of the $1.4-billion Herb Gray Parkway is a contributing factor to flooding homes on streets that also included Heritage Drive, Windfield Drive and Lepain Crescent.

With the new 11-kilometre border highway constructed below grade, drainage installed for the road led to many infrastructure changes in nearby neighbourhoods.

One ramp connected to the parkway had enough standing water that caused traffic flow issues during Saturday’s storm, but the parkway itself was not closed down in the area due to flooding, said Cindy Prince, spokeswoman for the project’s contractors.

Parkway officials have been contacted by LaSalle to discuss the flooding issue.

“We’ve asked our design team to look at the area where the rain event occurred to determine if there were any impacts from parkway construction — and if so to make any necessary alterations,” Prince said.

Area neighbours reported seeing work crews this week digging near the new highway’s pumping stations.

LaSalle Mayor Ken Antaya said he has received flooding complaints by phone from homeowners in both Heritage Estates and Oliver Farms where there are about 1,000 homes.

“We are trying to determine whether this was related to the parkway or deficient storm sewers,” he said. “It’s not something you can learn that quickly.

“It is premature to say exactly what happened until we realize exactly what (type of storm) came through, our public works (department) takes a good look at this and we have communication with the (transportation) ministry.”

Antaya said homes in that area have “storm sewer systems within acceptable standards for residential communities.”

But some streets in the Oliver Farms area — where many homes were built in the 1940s — do have storm systems that are somewhat dated, he said.

The town has applied — so far unsuccessfully — for provincial and federal funding support for storm sewer replacement in that neighbourhood, which Antaya said would cost about $6 million.

“I’m not saying all our storm drains are perfect, but they have been well-maintained,” he said. “This has happened twice in nine months. Is it just a phenomenon or is there something we need to do to improve drainage?

“I sympathize with the residents, but for anyone to say how to fix this right now would be pure speculation.”

Find Windsor Star on Facebook]]>http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/lasalle-homeowners-irate-after-repeated-basement-flooding/feed0LaSalle resident Mike Magri, left, and Lilly Magri wait at LaSalle Council meeting Tuesday July 28, 2015. Several LaSalle residents were hoping to speak to council regarding recent flooding, causing damage to their homes. The Magri family have dealt with flooding on two occasions. (NICK BRANCACCIO/The Windsor Star)dbattagelloLaSalle resident Donna Desmarais sits with her husband Jack Desmarais at LaSalle Council meeting Tuesday July 28, 2015. (NICK BRANCACCIO/The Windsor Star)LaSalle Mayor Ken Antaya motions while addressing a delegation Tuesday July 28, 2015. (NICK BRANCACCIO/The Windsor Star)Essex Memorial Arena demolition under wayhttp://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/essex-memorial-arena-demolition-under-way
http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/essex-memorial-arena-demolition-under-way#commentsFri, 24 Jul 2015 01:29:35 +0000http://blogs.windsorstar.com/?p=509050]]>More than 50 years of ice skating and hockey came to an end this week as demolition of the Essex Memorial Arena began.

“The building was becoming an eyesore and we didn’t have a need for a third ice pad … in that area,” said Deputy Mayor Richard Meloche. “It had outlived its life.”

Council budgeted $160,000 this year for the demolition work, which was awarded to Lions Group Inc. Meloche said the site should be cleared in about two weeks.

The arena began as an outdoor ice skating surface in 1961. It was enclosed a few years later.

Meloche said the Detroit Red Wings practised there in the mid-60s.

Essex opened its twin-pad arena facility, the Essex Centre Sports Complex, 2009 and the end was nearing for the aging facility.

But an agreement with Lakeshore kept the single-pad arena in use until recently. A three-year cost-sharing plan with Lakeshore kept the arena going until Lakeshore opened its new multi-use facility — the Atlas Tube Centre — which has three ice pads.

Meloche said a number of user groups then expressed interest in refurbishing the old Essex arena for indoor football or soccer but they found it would cost less to build a new facility. He said the building was starting to fall apart and needed major electrical work and a new roof.

He said council has not yet decided what to do with the empty space.

“We have a new master plan for parks and rec … there’s opportunity for maybe using that area for either tennis courts, a dog park, even for some passive play area,” Meloche said, adding the town is also interested in adding a splash pad to it’s list of recreational amenities.

He said Harrow Arena, located on the south side of the municipality, was upgraded within the last two years with the purchase of new ice-making equipment and replacement of boards and the roof.

“I think it was somewhere around $600,000 that we put into the building to ensure its longevity,” he said.

Public open houses are planned for August to allow residents and facility users to review the recommendations in the master plan and provide input. Dates will available on the town’s website.

LaSalle recently put out a request for proposals for its decommissioned single-pad Centennial Arena. Director of finance Joe Milicia said the building could be sold or leased.

And Amherstburg has cleared its staff out and removed any stored items from its old single-pad arena and locked the doors until council is able to deal with a new parks master plan, a strategic plan and a facilities condition assessment, according to CAO John Miceli.

“We had some health and safety concerns with the building,” Miceli said. “We’re just continuing our operations at our other existing buildings.”

The Libro Centre, which opened in 2010, brought two NHL-size ice pads along with other amenities to the town.

jkotsis@windsorstar.com

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Demolition of the Essex Memorial Arena is underway but the site was quiet on Wednesday, July 22, 2015. Lions Group Inc. earned the contract for the demolition job. JULIE KOTSIS/The Windsor Star

Demolition of the Essex Memorial Arena is underway but the site was quiet on Wednesday, July 22, 2015. Lions Group Inc. earned the contract for the demolition job. JULIE KOTSIS/The Windsor Star

Find Windsor Star on Facebook]]>http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/essex-memorial-arena-demolition-under-way/feed0Demolition crews are shown tearing down Essex Memorial Arena on July 21, 2015 in this provided photo from the Town of Essex.winstarkotsisDemolition of the Essex Memorial Arena is underway but the site was quiet on Wednesday, July 22, 2015. Lions Group Inc. earned the contract for the demolition job. JULIE KOTSIS/The Windsor StarDemolition of the Essex Memorial Arena is underway but the site was quiet on Wednesday, July 22, 2015. Lions Group Inc. earned the contract for the demolition job. JULIE KOTSIS/The Windsor StarDemolition of the Essex Memorial Arena is underway but the site was quiet on Wednesday, July 22, 2015. Lions Group Inc. earned the contract for the demolition job. JULIE KOTSIS/The Windsor StarLaSalle bans smoking at municipal facilitieshttp://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/lasalle-bans-smoking-at-municipal-facilities
http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/lasalle-bans-smoking-at-municipal-facilities#commentsWed, 22 Jul 2015 02:00:54 +0000http://blogs.windsorstar.com/?p=508689]]>The Town of LaSalle has gone a step further than provincial regulations require and banned smoking in all parks, municipal facilities, playgrounds and sports fields.

“We spend a lot of time and effort on pathways and recreational facilities that promote a healthy active lifestyle and smoking sort of flies in the face of that philosophy,” said Mayor Ken Antaya.

areas and adjacent spectator areas. But LaSalle’s bylaw bans smoking completely in those areas except for a designated smoking area at the Vollmer Complex and at the Front Road Park boat ramp.

“It’s not something that we’ve had a real big problem with,” Antaya said. “I’m not criticizing those who smoke. That’s a lifestyle choice. They have to do it responsibly and we’re just helping them along, so to speak.”

The municipal bylaw will also prohibit e-cigarettes wherever tobacco is prohibited and create a nine-metre smoke-free radius from any entrance or exit to any municipal building.

“I think that if I’m a thousand feet away from a playing field why should that bother anybody?” he asked. “It doesn’t make sense to me to be that restrictive.”

Burns said he thinks designated smoking areas should be allowed.

“We’ve allowed people … to buy a legal product and the government makes a tremendous amount of profit from it and … I think we’ve overstepped our bounds here and … that’s why I voted against it.”

Kristy McBeth, manager of chronic disease and injury prevention for the Windsor Essex County Health Unit, praised LaSalle for “filling the gaps” left by the provincial legislation.

“We have these very large, multi-use facilities so that creates … some challenging enforcement scenarios,” McBeth said, adding the 20-metre provincial prohibition can be confusing at a facility that includes multiple playground and sporting areas.

“It sort of creates these gaps and it’s very difficult for people to understand that.”

McBeth said LaSalle’s bylaw “provide(s) a more comprehensive level of protection than what the province has done … (and) also provides some clarity as well.”

LaSalle councillors approved this week a recommendation from administration to designate all elementary school zones as community safety zones and lower the speed limit to 30 km/h.

It affects five schools — Sandwich West at Wyoming and Elmdale avenues, LaSalle Public on Mayfair Avenue, Sacred Heart at Kenwood Boulevard and Divine Street, Monseigneur Augustin Caron at Martin Lane and Matchette Road and Prince Andrew on Kelly Road.

The speed limit on Sandwich West Parkway near Holy Cross was reduced earlier this year.

Both Sandwich and Villanova high schools are located on sections of road under the jurisdiction of Essex County and already have community safety zone designation and reduced speed limits.

LaSalle artists Sylvio Puzzuoli and Peter Valente open the series Sunday, followed by Aidan Bujold on July 26, Brianna Arundine on Aug. 9 and a concert by Puzzuoli, Valente, Bujold and Arundine on Aug.16.

Police are releasing few details about the mischief that occurred on July 6.

LaSalle police have released surveillance photos of a lone suspect wearing a hooded sweatshirt and shorts.

Anyone with information is asked to call LaSalle Police Service at 519-969-5210.

A mischief suspect is pictured on July 6, 2015 in this surveillance photo. (Courtesy of LaSalle police)

A mischief suspect is pictured on July 6, 2015 in this surveillance photo. (Courtesy of LaSalle police)

Find Windsor Star on Facebook]]>http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/police-seek-suspect-in-lasalle-mischief-investigation/feed0A mischief suspect is pictured on July 6, 2015 in this surveillance photo. (Courtesy of LaSalle police)starcitydeskA mischief suspect is pictured on July 6, 2015 in this surveillance photo. (Courtesy of LaSalle police)A mischief suspect is pictured on July 6, 2015 in this surveillance photo. (Courtesy of LaSalle police)Swim for free on Fridays in LaSallehttp://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/swim-for-free-on-fridays-in-lasalle
http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/swim-for-free-on-fridays-in-lasalle#commentsWed, 08 Jul 2015 01:42:27 +0000http://blogs.windsorstar.com/?p=503468]]>Take a dip on a hot summer day for free every Friday in July and August in LaSalle.

Starting this week, free swimming will be offered at either the LaSalle outdoor pool on Front Road at Laurier Drive or at the Vollmer Complex, 2121 Laurier Dr.

Splash away July 10 and 24 and Aug. 7 and 21, from 2 to 4 p.m., at the outdoor pool or July 17 and 31 and Aug. 14 and 28, from 6 to 8 p.m., at the Vollmer pool.

Rather than having a conventional birthday bash, Gregoire from LaSalle decided to organize a day with friends to give back to the community with a “pay-it-forward” theme.

“When others do nice things for me, I get a good feeling. So I wanted to make others feel special,” the birthday girl said.

On Saturday, Emma’s parents escorted her and 14 friends on a mission to spread compassion across the community with random acts of kindness.

The first stop was Zehrs in LaSalle where they made contributions to the Transition to Betterness Comfort Cart. The Comfort Cart — where Emma’s mother Kelly volunteers — offers supplementary food like yogurt and brownies to sick hospital patients.

In between locations, the small army of teens handed out popsicles to children in the parking lot on a hot afternoon. Throughout the day, they would stop to do smaller random acts of kindness such as buying coffees, paying for people’s parking and taping loonies to vending machines.

Emma Gregoire, left, delivers comfort food to Linda Santos of Transition to Betterness on Malden Road, just one of many acts of kindness on Saturday July 04, 2015. Gregoire, who turned 14 on June 19, wanted to give back to the community rather than celebrate with a traditional birthday party. Santos accepted the generous donation which are destined for patients at the Tayfour Campus of Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare. (NICK BRANCACCIO/The Windsor Star)

“It’s just the little things,” Gregoire said. “If people could join in and do something little, they could really make a difference.”

But it wasn’t only the little things today. The teens stopped by the Windsor Youth Centre where they donated clothing, food items, school supplies and toiletries.

Riley Beach, a family friend of Emma’s, said it was amazing to see first-hand what kind of impact they made throughout the day.

“When you stock the shelves yourself, you see how much of a difference we are actually making when you donate food,” she said. “I think this was a really cool way to use her day. It really shows her character and what a great person she is.”

Both Beach and Gregoire donated their hair to be made into wigs as their final stop on the pay-it-forward tour. But before that, they made their way to the Life After Fifty senior’s centre, where they dropped off cookies, canned food, and wrote personal notes for the members.

Calvin Little, executive director of Life After Fifty, said while people sometimes make donations to the senior’s centre, he has never seen anything like this.

“I think it’s really neat,” said Little. “If each person budgets $20, instead of a gift you can donate a lot things to different people.”

Gregoire said that many teenagers think about themselves a lot, and this was an opportunity to think about others in the community.

She invited people across the community to take on the challenge, whether big or small, to do some random act of kindness.

“I would love if others joined in and did something like this,” she said.

Find Windsor Star on Facebook]]>http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/teen-replaces-birthday-party-with-random-acts-of-kindness/feed0Emma Gregoire, left, delivers food to Linda Santos of Transition to Betterness on Malden Road on Saturday July 04, 2015. Gregoire, who turned 14 on June 19, wanted to give back to the community rather than celebrate with a traditional birthday party. Santos accepted the generous donation which are destined for patients at the Tayfour Campus of Windsor Regional Hospital. (NICK BRANCACCIO/The Windsor Star).dwanniarEmma Gregoire, left, delivers comfort food to Linda Santos of Transition to Betterness on Malden Road, just one of many acts of kindness on Saturday July 04, 2015. Gregoire, who turned 14 on June 19, wanted to give back to the community rather than celebrate with a traditional birthday party. Santos accepted the generous donation which are destined for patients at the Tayfour Campus of Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare. (NICK BRANCACCIO/The Windsor Star)Joining the Canadiens ‘an emotional day’ for Zack Kassianhttp://www.windsorstar.com/story.html?id=11183767
http://www.windsorstar.com/story.html?id=11183767#commentsFri, 03 Jul 2015 14:47:07 +0000http://blogs.windsorstar.com/?p=502139]]>]]>http://www.windsorstar.com/story.html?id=11183767/feed0Zack Kassian is seen in this file photo. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images)postmedianewswsIain MacIntyre: Canucks’ patience ran out on fan favourite Zack Kassianhttp://www.windsorstar.com/sports/hockey/vancouver-canucks/Iain+MacIntyre+Patience+lovable+Zack/11180724/story.html
http://www.windsorstar.com/sports/hockey/vancouver-canucks/Iain+MacIntyre+Patience+lovable+Zack/11180724/story.html#commentsThu, 02 Jul 2015 23:09:50 +0000http://blogs.windsorstar.com/?p=501616]]>]]>http://www.windsorstar.com/sports/hockey/vancouver-canucks/Iain+MacIntyre+Patience+lovable+Zack/11180724/story.html/feed0Vancouver Canucks Zach Kassian celebrates his goal against Toronto Maple Leafs in happier times. Photograph by: Steve Bosch , PNG filespostmedianewsws